The present invention relates generally to magnetic tape and film cassettes and more particularly to an extended play cassette.
Various cassettes are known which carry magnetic tape or photographic film. For example, such cassettes include the "Phillips" audio cassette, cassettes intended for use with video cassette recorders, and the film cassettes which carry unexposed super-8 motion picture film. Although these cassettes make the loading and unloading of recording and play-back apparatus simple and provide a protected environment for the magnetic tape or film, the standard cassette size limits cassette capacity and thus the cassette play or record time.
One method of increasing the standard cassette play or record time involves using a thinner medium such as thinner magnetic tape. However, as magnetic tape becomes thinner, it also is more easily stretched, broken or crushed, thus disabling the cassette and destroying the information stored on the tape. Moreover, the thickness of photographic film cannot be reduced beneath a limit where the film retains its structural integrity and its ability to withstand repeated manipulations by, for example, a projector.
Several extended play devices have been proposed which are operable in place of a standard cassette and which provide increased magnetic tape or film capacity. Exemplary extended play devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,918,802, 3,949,952, 4,018,518 and 4,074,876. All of these extended play devices generally include a portion adapted to fit into the cassette receptable of a record/play apparatus and a portion laterally disposed with respect to the first portion which carries enlarged supply and take-up reels.
However, none of these extended-play devices can be inserted into record/play apparatus where the apparatus requires that a standard cassette be oriented, for example, generally horizontally and then inserted generally vertically into a recessed cassette receptacle. That is, apparatus of this nature are designed to accept the cassette face first rather than edge first and any cassette not conforming to the standard cassette size will not fit into the cassette receptacle. Stated more generally, the standard cassette housing defines a plane (the cassette face) and the cassette must be displaced substantially perpendicularly with respect to this plane (face first) into the cassette receptacle.
With such apparatus, the laterally disposed supply and take-up reels of the aforementioned extended play devices interfere with the insertion of the devices into the cassette receptacle, thus rendering these devices inoperable. This presents a serious drawback to the use of such extended play devices and one which decreases the utility of the record/play apparatus.
Moreover, the extended play devices of the type described above are generally bulky and extend away from the record/play apparatus, thus exposing the devices to potential damage. Such damage can result in the loss of magnetic tape or film carried by the device.
Thus there is a need for an extended play cassette which overcomes the limitations described above and which provides in a relatively compact package substantially increased capacity while minimizing the possibility of accidental damage to the extended play cassette and to the film or magnetic tape carried by the cassette.